Thermostatic valve



lrai r .LoUIsw scHNErr, or HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoR, BY DIRECT masa AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FIRST NATIONAL BANK F rl-I1\`I'AI-IIE}IIBI, TRUSTEE FOR SI\l'AP -S'IAT COMPANY, OF ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, A COPARTNERSHIP.

THEItMosrA'rIc VALVE.

vApplication led February 19, 1925. Serial No. 10,230.

My invention relates to an improved thermostatic valve that is particularly designed for autmatically controlling the flow of gaseous fuel to the burner of a water heater or other similar appliance, the principal objects of my invention being to provide a thermostatic valve that is -relatively simple in construction, capable of being easily and cheaply produced and which isspositive and efficacious in operation. v i

Further objects of my invention are, to provide a thermost-atic valve of the cha-rac-v ter described that is-quick acting in the opening of the vport or duct through .which the gas passes to the burner; to provide simple and eiiicient means whereby the expansible memberthat carries the valve may be easily and accurately adjusted so as to regulate the size of the opening of the port that is controlled by theA valve and, further,

to support the entire valve upon :a resilient arm and provide adjust-able means whereby the valve housing may be adjusted toward or away from the wall of the heater with which it is associated. I

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain nov'el features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustratedn the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an elevational view of the lower portion of a .water heater and showing the same equipped with a thermostatic valve of my improved `construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig.` Llis a vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. v Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a resilient 'strap' that is mounted -onv the expansible member of the thermostat and which carries the gas orifice controlling valve.

Referring'v by numerals to the accompanying drawings, l'de'signates a shallow lcupshaped housing having a removable front wall or cover plate 11 and secured to the rear lower portion of said housing is thc up.-

, per end of a resilient arm 12.

When the thermostatic valve is associated 1with a Water heater andV its burner, as illustrated in Fig. l, the lower portion of arm "bearing on the `tank wall.

12 is secured' to the lower portion of the body of the tank T, so that housing occupies a position immediately adjacent to the wall of the water chamber'within the tank.y

. A lug or rib 14; that projects rearwardly from the upper portion of housing 10 is adapted to bear against the wall of the tank T, to hold`said housing a slight distance away from said tank. V

To adjust the housing away from the tank and retain it in such adjusted position, 'a

screw 15 passes through a lug 16 at the top of thev housing with the point ofv'said screw A gaseous fue] supply pipe 18 connects with' the lower ,end of duct 19 that is formed which. leads upwardly to' a centrally arranged 'port 20, having an annular valve seat 21. A

Leading from an. outlet port 22 that `is formed in the bottom of'hous'inglO, to a gaseous fuel burner (not shown) that is ar ranged beneath tank T, is alpipe 23.

An adjusting screw 24 is seated in the center of cover'plate 11. the outer end of if erably provided with one or more annular ribs or corrugations such as 27.

' Extending entirely around the diaphragm 26 is a diametrically arranged strap 28 of thin resilient material. the inner leg or porjtion of which is provided with ribs -or cor- 'rugations 29 that coincide with the ribs 27 on diaphragm 26..

Secured in any suitable manner to the central portion of the inner-leg of strap 28 is a disc valve 30 that is adapted to rest -on -valve seat 21.

The inner wall of diaphragm26 is dished inwardly, so that normally, or whilel the fluid within said diaphragm is not'expandf' ed, the parts are positioned, so that valve .'30,

is maintained away from its seat,ithereby in the lower portion of housing 410 and I los Ipermitting gas` to. flow freely through ,.-port 20.

.Formed through the lower housing'l 10 -andleading lfrom duct 19 isa small branch duct 31, the flow of gas through which is regulated by a yscrew 32 and leading from said duct to'the burner beneath the tank is a pilot light tube 33.

It will be understood that `spring 12 tends to normally force housing 10 toward the tank T, and that by manipulation of screw 15, the proximity ofthe housing relative tothefwalloftank T is regulated Obviously, when the housing is positioned immediately 'adjacent to the` tank wall, the

temperature ofheated water within said, 'the thermostat (the 'diaf y. phragm 26) to act much more .quickly than tank, will cause when seidhousing occupies a position spaced apart from said tank. A

The position of the Vdiaphragm within the housingand the degree or distance of travel i 'i beneath -tanlr T of the valve 30'to and from its'seat is controlled by manipulation of screw 24. y

When the thermostatic` diaphragm is con'- tracted as illustrated in Figs.2 and 3, valve 30 is unseated, so las to permit gas to'flo'w freely from supply pipe ".18 and duct 19 '36 throughl open port 20 and from-"thene through port 22 and pipe 23 to theburnen This burner which islocated immediately heats the water therein and when vthe heat reaches a predetermined del ignited b support for' 11, ,and as the the inspection, repair and adjustment of theoperating parts of the' structure hen it moves onto or away gree, the fluidk within diaphragm will eX'- pand. therebv forcing the dished inner wallv of said diaphragm outwardly with 'a quick, thereby seating valve 3,0

Land cutting oi the further'ow of gaseous"v .fuel to 4the burner.V

snapping. action,

when the. temperaturein the tank lowers to such a degree as 'to cause the fluid within the diaphragm to contract fand thejinner wallof said diaphragm t0 return to its -normal position,- valv`e 30 willbeunseated, thereby allowing gaseous fuel to again flow to the burner', where it will be' the flame from th'e'fpilot light Obviously,

may be readily accomplished.

Thus'it will be seen that I have provided a quick acting ythermostatica valve that is relatively 'simple' 1n structure,capable bf being easily and cheaply produced, readily adjustable tosuit various requirements, and v portion of `which-(screw is seated in the wall -sage of je'cting housing and provides which is very eiective in performing its in-v tended functions.

It will be understood that minor changes-V in the size, form and construction of the of my improved thermostatic various parts made and substituted for those valve maybe herein shown and described withcutvdepartof th'e invention, the

ing from vthe spirit 'forth in the'appended scope of which isset claims.'

` I claim as my invention:

1. In a thermostatic valve, a housing having afport, an expansible fluid containing diaphragm positioned within said housing,

a strap of resilient Vmaterial arranged diametrically about said diaphragm, a, valve carried by' said'strap for controlling -the passage of fluid through said-port and a screw. projecting from the center-of ysaid the opposite' side'from. thevalveg which screw is seated in the'wallof the housing and provides an adjustable support for saidy diaphragm.

' 2. In a thermostatic valve, a housinghaving a4 port, an expansible4 fluid containing diaphragm positioned within said housing, a strap of resilient material arranged diametrically aboutl said diaphragm, carried by said str apfor controlling the. passage of fluid throughsaid port, a screw pro- .jectng' from the center 'oi said diaphragm a valve 'on theopposite side thereof fromsaid valve,

housing and provides an adjustable support for the' diaphragm, Vand ares-ilientV supporting-arm on which said; housing is mounted. 3. In a thermostatic valve, a-housing having-a port, an e'xpansible fluidcontaining diaphragm posltionedwithin said housing, `astrap ofresilient `material, arranged diametrically aboutl said diaphragm, a valve carried by said strap for controlling the pasluid through said portfa-screw profrom the center of said diaphragm on the opposite side thereof lfrom `said valve,-

which screw is seated :in the vwall of the an adjustable support :for` the diaphragm, a. resilient v`supporting arm on whichsaid housing is mounted and adjustable 'means mounted on said housing and adapted to engage the member to which it is appliedY for adjustingthe' positionof said housing away from said member.

,4. In la thermostatic valve, the combination with an expansive-Huid containing dia- Uphragm, of a resilient strap disposed-diametrically around said' diaphragm, a valve carried by said strap and centrally arranged on one side of the diaphragm,v theY ends of the strap on the other side of the diaphragm being spaced apart and a screw projecting romthe body of the diaphragm between the spaced endsof said' strap. j

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.,

LOUIS W. SOHNEPP.

ofthe'hll iss 

